Sometimes hiking is like a dream. Yesterday was one of those days. Few people were on the trail; that alone was surreal, especially on a warm spring day. Beauty and surprise were abundant. I was walking along the River Trail near LaSalle Canyon. The mighty Illinois...
“I knew Starved Rock would be chaotic. I went anyway. A forecasted high of 68 on March 5th is very unusual. That’s my sister’s birthday and I remember many snowy celebrations. The warmest temps would be late in the afternoon and I, like everyone else, wanted to...
The snow blew across the open fields. Sometimes I could see the yellow line as I maneuvered the back roads. As the sun moved higher in the sky, shadows fell long and dark. The lighting was spectacular on the barns and trees. I wanted to stop and take pictures but was...
I don’t know about you, but Spring brings out the kid in me. Yesterday I woke up at 4 am to a little voice pleading, “Let’s go watch the sunrise from Starved Rock! Please! It will be fun. It’s going to be a beautiful day!” Grownup me covered my head. It was 33...
There are many ways to get into LaSalle Canyon to see the icefalls. Early this afternoon, three of us met in a lot by Council Overhang and took a very long indirect path that included exploring two caves, a dozen frozen creek crossings, climbing endless stairs, and...
I am still sharing the trail with lots of people rather than trying desperately to avoid them. It is going well, mostly. I won’t do it forever, but for now, it works. It feels safe. Today was busy because the weather was BEAUTIFUL. By early afternoon, crowds grew,...
